RAM Advanse v9.0 is now available for download from Bentley SELECT (SELECT log in required)
New Features:
New Truss Design module: This new module allows you to model, analyze and design a steel or wood truss in minutes. This module optimizes member sizes keeping the out-to-out dimensions of the truss and includes a very specific design report.
New and Improved Footing Design module: The module can now be used as stand alone or integrated with RAM Advanse. Besides designing spread footings it also designs combined footings per ACI 318-05.
New Concrete Wall Design module
: This module replaces the Shear Wall Design module with added capabilities and a new interface. The module now allows you to input out-of-plane loads also and the option to design the wall as a bearing wall, a shear wall or a combination of both.
AISC 360-05 Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (LRFD & ASD). As addition to the code checks being performed, now shear stiffeners for built-up members is included.
AF&PA National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction 2005 Edition, with not only the ASD method but also the LRFD. The provisions also include resistance variation depending on the member’s cross section size for Southern Pine species. It also includes a completely new wood pad.
AISI North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members 2001 (including 2004 Supplement). The LRFD and ASD methods are included (LSD will be available in April 2008) besides bearing and one flange through-fastened to deck or sheathing code checks.
New Memory Management: The possibility to analyze large models is back! With the implementation of a new analysis engine (RAM FE ™) in v7.0, some large models gave an “Out of Memory” error. That problem is gone with a sophisticated memory management system that allows bigger and faster analyses.
Tilt-Up Module Enhancements: After the first release of this module, user’s all over the nation provided us with useful feedback that we were able to incorporate in the design. Now the new version of the Tilt-Up module is without doubt the best available in the industry.
All wall modules (Concrete, Tilt-Up and Masonry) now accept any amount of load cases/combinations, instead of the 4 cases of previous versions, when importing from the RAM Advanse 3D model.
New versions of the Reinforced Concrete Beam and Reinforced Concrete Column design modules. The modules now have a graphical user interface in accordance with the rest of the design modules and they can also be used as stand alone programs without the need of a model in the screen.
New option to select only the load cases/combinations you want to analyze.
Uniform temperature loading in shells.
New quadrilateral shell element with six degrees of freedom at each node: three translational, two bending and one drilling. The formulation for the element stiffness matrix includes membrane stiffness and plate bending stiffness.
Complete new graphics with more clear, easy to read and enhanced graphics (supports, hinges, loads, reactions, stresses, etc.), besides new 3D rendered graphics with a more realistic look.
This version includes the possibility to disable shear deformations for members. Very useful when running models from text books as means of verification examples.
Improved analysis and design of web tapered “I” shaped steel members. For 1st order analysis, the program now considers an exact stiffness matrix for the tapered member, instead of the conventional method of segmenting the member into 6 sub-elements (option still available). The design of these members now includes AISC 13th Edition code checks. The accuracy of the new element is tested and compared with the benchmark problems proposed by Kaehler et al (2006). Note that for the 2nd order analysis, the program still augments the exact stiffness matrix with an approximate geometric stiffness matrix.
Improvements in the DXF export for full compatibility with MicroStation™, VectorDraw™ and AutoCAD™. It includes multiple layers for better visualization and classification.
New RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed to inform users of updates, seminars, events, etc. when they open the program or any time they need it.
Automatic notification when a new update is available for download.